The edge of today’s networks is held back by persistent challenges: insecure firmware updates, fragmented vendor ecosystems, and deep dependency on proprietary platforms. These issues not only increase operational risk but also prevent service providers from innovating at the pace modern markets demand. Traditional gateway architectures have long forced a trade-off between openness and carrier-grade reliability—until now.

This book is the first comprehensive guide to prplOS, an open, security-first carrier-grade framework evolved from OpenWrt, purpose-built for home and broadband gateways. Organized around secure boot, process isolation, and standardizedAPIs, prplOS delivers the missing link between open-source agility and telecom-grade trust.

More than just a technical overview, this book draws on the authors’ direct engineering experience in developing prplOS–based gateways. It translates core architectural decisions into practical guidance for building secure, interoperable systems—providing implementation patterns, best practices refined through product development, and a clear blueprint for devices aligned with the prplWare Certification program. Content like this simply doesn’t exist in public documentation or code repositories.

Written for network architects, embedded systems engineers, and telecom professionals, the book assumes familiarity with Linux and networking fundamentals but requires no prior knowledge of prplOS or OpenWrt. You’ll learn how prplOS enables interoperability across chipsets and vendors by anchoring security in hardware root of trust and isolating services at process boundaries. It explains how secure over-the-air updates, compliance with industry-wide management and security standards, and standardized interfaces collectively solve long-standing pain points around firmware integrity, ecosystem lock-in, and certification complexity. Whether you work at a telco, an ODM, or a silicon vendor, this book provides the strategic and technical foundation to lead the shift toward a trusted, open edge infrastructure—one that is secure by design, interoperable by default, and sustainable for decades to come.

Cheng Gang, R&D Director of Nokia Broadband Device BU, with over 27 years of experience in fixed network access technologies; delivered more than 200 million Nokia broadband devices worldwide and led extensive development of carrier-grade gateways based on OpenWrt and prplOS. His publications include “Key technology survey of smart home” (China Machine Press, 2020; sole author) and “Wi-Fi 7: Principles, Technology, and Applications” (Springer Nature, 2024; first author).

Thirumurthy Rajamanickam as Board of Director, prpl Forum (2025–2026), is currently Head of System Architecture at Nokia Broadband Devices Business Unit, bringing over 30 years of experience in Product Architecture and leading the R&D team throughout the entire product lifecycle. He has successfully designed a wide range of products, including Ethernet switches, DSLAMs, OLTs, routers, and residential gateways. Additionally, he has been instrumental in driving multiple patents for the Broadband Devices BU. Bell Labs honored him with the prestigious distinction of being a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff (DMTS). One of the author of “Wi-Fi 7: Principles, Technology, and Applications”.

Luo Ye: As a senior system architect over 20 years in Nokia, deeply engaged in and led development and design of embedded systems for access networks, home networks, and Wi-Fi devices, and proficient in system architecture and software architecture design for prplOS, OpenWRT, and other open-source software.

Suresh Babu Addala Gajapathy: Networking System Architect in Nokia with 25+ years of experience working on Ethernet switches, Metro Ethernet, Mobile Backhaul, IP/MPLS, and broadband CPE/ONT platforms. Main areas of expertise are L2/L3 networking, Routing, QoS, Multicast, and data-plane architecture, along with OpenWrt-based embedded systems and Linux kernel networking. Also contribute to broadband industry forums and open standards.